Pa Olu Jacobs (11th July 1942-September 16th 2026)
There was a recent argument about seniority and range of talent in the Nigerian movie industry. A well-known Nigerian actor was taking part in a podcast, and he declared that he had no peers when it came to years of acting experience and international exposure. The response to his claim was dramatic, no pun intended. Commenters dug deep and unearthed an extensive list of actors who have been around for several decades. Unfortunately, what should have been a lighthearted push back at a general claim deteriorated into an ethnic battle. The actor who made the claim is from the Eastern part of the country. Most of the examples of those who are more famous than he is, came from the South-West, so it became a boring Yoruba versus Igbo debate. The more level-headed observers noted that everyone contributes to an industry in their own way, and there is no need to begin a search for ‘the greatest of the greatest.’
Ajoke Silva has been a good friend of mine for over twenty years. We met when I was working for the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF). At AWDF, we wanted to look into popular culture projects and storytelling to support work of our grantees working on social norms. Our relationship moved from the professional to the personal, through various seasons. Even when we do not see each other for periods of time, we simply pick up from where we left things. In July 2022, Ajoke invited me to the 80th birthday of Pa Olu. I had dental surgery two days before the event. I was in excruciating pain. I was, however, determined to attend, not only to support my friend, but because we need to let people know how much we value them when they are still with us, not wait till they are gone.
As I was reflecting on the news of his passing, I remembered the debate about ‘the greatest actor.’ It is such an odd conversation to have. In most African communities, we express ourselves as naturally as possible. We laugh out loud, sing at the top of our voices (especially in places of worship), dance enthusiastically, argue passionately, yell at each other as we bargain in markets, and discipline children with an invitation to all bystanders to participate. This way, it is easy for us to ‘act’, even without a written script. We carry ‘drama’ everywhere we go. We simply slip into a reality we are familiar with, and we let our rich imagination do the rest. We have all seen nosy neighbours in action, managed difficult in-laws, and dealt with enemies both real and imagined.
In the early years of the Yoruba travelling theater that went through most of the South-West, there was hardly any formal training. There was a lot of acquired experience and learning on the job, but what made superstars out of actors of that generation was natural talent. The forerunners were led by Hubert Ogunde (widely acknowledged as the father of Nigerian theater) and later Kola Ogunmola, Duro Ladipo, Baba Sala, Oyin Adejobi, Ishola Ogunsola (Isho Pepper), Adeyemi Afolayan (Ade Love), Lere Paimo, and others. When I was at Abeokuta Girls Grammar School (1973-1978) we had a treat at least twice a term, when one of these travelling theaters would roll into the school and we would pay 25 Kobo for an evening of sheer bliss. Some of the artistes mentioned above later went into film production, again led by Hubert Ogunde. My father was a huge fan of the theater and film, and he used to take the family to watch these productions.
With television in the 1970s came another generation of stars we grew up adoring. The Village Headmaster gave us forever stars such as Dejumo Lewis, Jab Adu, Ibidun Allison (Amebo) Elsie Olushola (Sisi Clara), Femi Robinson, Enebeli Elebuwa, Justus Esiri. Then ‘Nollywood’ came along in 1992 with ‘Living in Bondage’. The Nollywood productions appealed to both theater and movie fans alike, with their productions easily accessible on affordable CDs. The results were electrifying. It gave birth to a prolific industry with an impressive home-grown value chain. Even though we had to deal with the good, the bad and the ugly of this phenomenon, the star power it was able to produce over time was undeniable. As ‘Nollywood’ continued to rise, the Yoruba movie industry waxed strong too, then ‘Kannywood’ in the North.
The Yoruba travelling theater was great and produced amazing stars. Nollywood (my own definition includes all the ‘Woods’) produced stars who shone locally and internationally. There is also a new generation of stars who were born well after Nollywood emerged, and they are now doing remarkable things. This is why, in my opinion, an argument about who is the ‘greatest’ is not a helpful one. All these stars shone brightly. They were all great in their own way. Some of them have transitioned to the great beyond, but their legacies endure. We need to invest our time more in working on our own legacies rather than peeping over our shoulders at what the other person is doing. The other person is doing their own thing. You do yours.
Pa Olu Jacobs was not only a naturally talented actor, he was a classically trained one at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, London. He worked in England in stage and television productions for many years, till he eventually returned to Nigeria. His life and passing ought to teach us many lessons. Olu Jacobs was great, not just because he was such an accomplished and celebrated actor. He was a quintessential Yoruba Omoluabi – the perfect gentleman, a good person, an embodiment of dignity and nobility. In an industry where tawdry scandals are taken as the norm, and allowed to overshadow genuine talent, Olu Jacobs proved that it was possible to be a dedicated artiste as well as a truly responsible person who valued his family. He did not spend his youth spreading chaos and keeping harems. It was because he lived with such dignity that he was able to enjoy the love, care, and privacy he received in his old age when he needed it the most.
In addition to being the custodian of such a blessed talent, he paid it forward. He inspired generations of other actors who benefited from his mentoring and support. He worked on productions across all the ‘Woods.’ He was a bridge builder, a father, brother, and friend to all. Another lesson to be learnt is that the sky is wide enough for birds to fly without colliding. Olu Jacobs never got into any spats that we know of over who had more talent or experience. He simply owned his space and journey. We have seen many ‘greats,’ we have many ‘greats’ and there will be many more to come. Olu Jacobs was one of the greatest performers this country has ever produced. That legacy is well and truly earned and will never be debated. Thank you for all you did, Pa Olu. You will live on forever in our hearts. Take heart my darling ‘Sisterly’ Ajoke. To you, Pa Olu was the ‘Greatest of the Greatest,’ and that is how it should be. May we all be blessed with a long and fulfilled life.
Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi is a Gender Specialist, Leadership Coach, Policy Advocate and Writer. She is the Founder of Abovewhispers.com, an online community for women. She can be reached at BAF@abovewhispers.com